Former FIFA soccer official pleads guilty in bribery scandal

A former vice president of soccer's international governing body pleaded guilty to four conspiracy counts Monday in the sweeping FIFA bribery scandal.

Prosecutors in New York said Alfredo Hawit accepted bribes totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars linked to the sale of marketing rights to tournaments in Latin America.

Each count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison; he also will forfeit $950,000 upon sentencing.

Hawit told the judge he had conspired with others to get companies in Florida and Argentina marketing rights in exchange for bribes paid to bank accounts that he and his family controlled in Panama and Honduras.

The plea deal is part of a case involving more than 40 people from around the world. Prosecutors said soccer officials have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal payments in the last 25 years.

The Honduras native also served as interim president of the North and Central American and Caribbean soccer governing body, CONCACAF, from June until his Dec. 3 arrest.